Toledo police officers Colin O'Rourke and Michelle Sterling secure the home of Thomas Przybysz, 30, of 4635 283rd St., who was killed outside of his residence. They were waiting for a search warrant.
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Published: Saturday, 5/24/2014 - Updated: 9 months ago

Point Place man is fatally stabbed outside home

BY MIKE SIGOV BLADE STAFF WRITER

A Toledo man who was fatally stabbed Friday at his Point Place residence was an autoworker who left behind a young daughter, three siblings, and his parents.

Thomas Przybysz, 30, of the 4600 block of 283rd Street was taken early Friday to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead later in the morning, Toledo police said. The incident was being investigated as a homicide.

“He was the youngest of us ... Little Tom ... We were very close,” Mark Przybysz, 32, said in a halting voice. “He was a pretty good guy, ... a hard worker ... loved his yard work.”

The victim, his brother said, was a 2002 Woodward High School graduate who worked a late shift as an assembly worker for Mobis North America, an on-site Chrysler supplier that builds the Jeep Wrangler chassis. The younger Mr. Przybysz had an 8-year-old daughter and was the youngest of four siblings, his brother said.

The victim’s Facebook page features multiple pictures of his daughter. “I love my family!!! Dont[sic] know what id[sic] do without them ...” he wrote in a post dated April 2, 2013.

Toledo police did not release details about the slaying, which occurred about 3:40 a.m. at the victim’s residence. Police responding to an assault report arrived to find the man near a neighbor’s porch.

“He just came home from work when it happened. Wasn’t even in the house yet,” the older Mr. Przybysz said.

Lynda Schrader, a neighbor, said she was at home when she heard the victim, who “had his music going,” pull into his driveway and then about 20 minutes later heard her dog “barking and going insane.”

Once she stepped outside, she saw police cars and a rescue vehicle, she said.

Her daughter and son-in-law, who were also home, told her they had heard someone yell, “Help me, help me” a short time before police arrived, she said.

The victim was found lying on the ground near a neighbor’s home, Ms. Schrader said while pointing to the spot.

A woman who said she lives at that residence said she heard the victim call for help, looked out of a window, and recognized him as he was lying near her porch. She said she called 911 and talked to the victim to keep him conscious while her boyfriend held his hand until emergency crews arrived. She refused to give her name, citing safety concerns.

“He was very respectful and very kind to me... [but] just a kid, in my opinion,” Ms. Schrader. “It‘s just one of those things when you see someone and the next day they are gone. It’s hard to accept.”

The older Mr. Przybysz said he and his brother had grown up together, enjoying fishing and playing sports.

“I live just down the street. ... I saw him almost every day,” he said. “I will definitely miss him ... as a brother and the best friend.”

Dr. Maneesha Pandey, a Lucas County deputy coroner, performed an autopsy Friday and ruled the death a homicide caused by multiple sharp force trauma.

Police Sgt. Kevin Braun knew of no potential motive for the slaying, but believes it wasn’t random.

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